Thursday, January 20, 2011--FIRST SNOW DAY!

Our first snow day in Blue Eye, Missouri! I was able to capture a few quick snapshots of the landscape and my two "girls" as they adjusted to their first snow. It has been quite chilly here, and bundling up just to take the dogs on a walk is a great adventure. Mittens or gloves, long coat, NEED SOME SNOW BOOTS!, knit cap on my head....wow, what a change from Florida life!

I hope to capture better photos when it snows again. The effort to get out and really get some good shots paled to the unpacking I still have to do...so come the next snow I'll be ready!

Two Months Later

Wow. Where do I start? For the last two months, I've been packing, selling, moving, unpacking, hunting, creating and learning.

• Packing, because we moved to central Florida and started a new life apart from that which we had been accustomed to over the past ten years. It took 3 weeks to pack!

• Selling, because we had too much stuff to move. For six weekends we did yard sales at my Mom's to "liquidate" all our belongings. That was tough, but a necessary evil.

• Moving, because our lives took an unexpected direction, and staying where we were just was not an option in our minds. Central Florida had opportunities and we took them.

• Unpacking, because my husband doesn't like stacked up boxes everywhere. It took one week to unpack! (And the majority went to storage).

• Hunting, because we needed work. Although my husband couldn't work due to his health, I had to begin job hunting...and what a hunt it was!

• Creating, because during ALL this that was happening, I stumbled across Zazzle.com and began building a store to showcase and sell some of my creations on-line!

• Learning, because my hunt for a job did finally pay off and I have been training in a job position that is new to me...and what a learning curve!

So it's been a busy few weeks and I've not devoted myself to my blog...but I'm back and up and running!

Here are a few Christmas lights taken at Lake Mirror in Lakeland, Florida.

On Vacation

I suppose there's a lot to be said about taking a vacation. You long for it, grow impatient because it doesn't arrive fast enough, and then, when it's over, the aftermath of recovering from it is tiring. Such was the experience this weekend as we returned from cruising the western Caribbean on the Carnival ship lines.

We sailed from New Orleans, Louisiana and visited Belize City and Cozumel. Isla Roatan was cancelled due to inclement weather, causing us great disappointment since we have not been there. The ship's staff said it was beautiful, but I suppose we'll have to catch that one the next time around.

All in all, the experience was good, but I was more than ready to get home to "rescue" my two beloved dogs from the boarding they were enduring. So, a few photos later, I'm back at home, settling back into my "normal" routine, washing a mound of clothing, pampering my "girls" and generally enjoying life. It's all good.

Why Did God Make Frogs?

I really don't do frogs, lizards, snakes, bugs, or anything that creeps or crawls upon the face of the earth. These things freak me out a bit, and I'm not really sure why. I get near a lizard or frog and my heart palpitates wildly and shrieks tend to erupt out of my mouth, scaring everyone half to death who might be within earshot.

And yet, as a photographer, I feel compelled to capture these critters on film (or digital, as it may be). So last night, when I let my dogs out for a bit, I saw BOTH a lizard and a tree frog calmly sitting on the leg of our patio canopy...and guess what? I HAD to get my camera. Of course, the lizard just darted away, but the little frog seemed interested in hanging around. I braved up, telling myself NOT to jump and drop my camera if the frog decided to become impulsive, and got my lens as close as I dared to capture the shot.

Gratefully, Mr. Frog cooperated and I managed to land a decent shot of his green little body and beady little eye...and then got out of there as fast as I could!!

Canon EOS 40D, EF 28-135mm lens, focal length: 135mm, f/5.7, Spot metering mode, manual mode, manual white balance, on-board Canon 580EX II flash set to ETTL and +2/3 exposure

Taking a Moment

I love to see my flowers in bloom. This year I planted Mexican Petunias. They were only supposed to reach a maximum height of 3 feet, but they've grown upwards of 4 feet! They bloom every day with profuse color, beautiful to behold, and they cheer my heart.

Here's a solitary bloom to capture their essence:


And here are two in full glory:


And, here is a rose just to top things off:


Happy day!

The One That Got Away

Missed a great opportunity as I was traveling early this morning. A doe was standing very near the interstate I was driving, calmly chewing a mouthful of something. She faced away from me, and in the early morning misty haze, her dark body was a stark contrast to all the grayness before me.

I slowed down and reached for my camera, preparing to pull off the road to capture the moment. Darn! Camera wasn't there! I had left too quickly and had forgotten it...and the moment was gone forever except in my memory.

Lesson learned...don't leave home without it!

Getting Started

Up and running today, and a big welcome to those of you who have happened by my new space! I hope this will be an adventure for all of us, as I post photos of my work and write about things I dream about for the future. Take time to comment on what you see (but please be kind) and help take me to the next level. I appreciate constructive criticism as it helps me get better and better!

Do you like stock photography? What are your ideas, tips and "go-to's" for getting your stock accepted? Let me know, let others out there know!

Thought for today is that I'm alive, breathing, and moving forward with life no matter what. It's gonna be alright.